Road to Tidbinbilla

[jennyhunter]

Hey There, I was wondering what the road was like out to tidbinbilla, coming from lanyon.

Would like ride be suitable for a novice ?

[Robdog]

Depends on your gearing, level of fitness etc. It's quite hard going with regards to the hills, but the surface itself is fine

[Ross]

Watch out for fast travelling motorbikes alomg there. Just stay left and be alert and not alarmed.

[jennyhunter]

Thanks for that, we are new here and have heard its a good ride, looking foward to it.

[Zac150]

Jennyhunter,

Did you give Tidbinbilla ride a go?

[jennyhunter]

We did, we went on Saturday morning, OMGosh if I thought sydney drivers were bad, they are nothing compared to Canberra!!

It was scary how little care the drivers showed, only one single car bothered to even slow down and the rest zoomed past dangerously overtaking on sharp corners.

We got up to the sign to turn into corin forest and turned around from there, my fitness isn't so great at the moment I am afraid.
Next time I am planning to go early morning to miss some of the traffic.
Other than that it was a great ( hilly!) ride.

[twizzle]

Other than that it was a great ( hilly!) ride.

Turn left at the Corin sign next time.

[Zac150]

It was scary how little care the drivers showed, only one single car bothered to even slow down and the rest zoomed past dangerously overtaking on sharp corners.

One of the big downsides of the road to Tidbinbilla (Cotter loop) is the traffic, people just seem to drive like maniacs. I find the motor bikes the worst out there. Try the ride out past Tharwa toward Namadgi, it's a nice 60km ride from Lanyon and not as busy.

[jennyhunter]

Zac your a legend, I had a look at the map and I am going to give it a try on Saturday

[Zac150]

Jennyh your welcome, enjoy the ride. Word of caution though leave Fitze's hill (you will know it when you get to it) to the seriously mad, its a very steep climb. Also if you find that you still have energy after getting back to Tharwa turn left just before the bridge and head back to Tuggeranong via point hut crossing.

[twizzle]

It was scary how little care the drivers showed, only one single car bothered to even slow down and the rest zoomed past dangerously overtaking on sharp corners.

One of the big downsides of the road to Tidbinbilla (Cotter loop) is the traffic, people just seem to drive like maniacs. I find the motor bikes the worst out there. Try the ride out past Tharwa toward Namadgi, it's a nice 60km ride from Lanyon and not as busy.

Might not be as busy, but they be 'country folk' in 4WDs and Utes and the windy section over Mt Tennant can be quite scary as they will do the speed limit over blind crests and corners. IMHO, Tidbinbilla Rd is safer as the visibility is actually better.

[Zac150]

Twizzle, I see your point on Mt Tennant but Tidbinbilla / Cotter loop has its fair share of blind corners and crests; lets face it the rolling hills are one of the reason cyclists love to ride cotter loop. Unfortunately motorcyclists seem to love it as well and i'll take my chances with the country folk any day.

Add the trucks along Cotter at the moment with the work on the dam and the cotter loop is pretty hectic.

[Zac150]

Twizzle thinking about your comments more, I find it interesting how different people view roads. For me cotter isn't great due to the speed people travel, i guess the margin for error is low. Having said that I prefer to ride on country roads as in general when I drive on them I concentrate more because of the bumps corners etc. Highways for me seem to be a snooze zone, people put their car in cruise and sometimes their brain as well. How often do you see a car veer of a highway just enough to have hit a cyclist, if they had been there.

I don't think their is a right or wrong answer to this, it all boils down to individuals and where they feel more comfortable.

[Ross]

I prefer the less traffic of Mt Tennant area. At the Cotter area you have a lot of tourists going to Stromlo Obsevatory and the Cotter precinct to view the dam, have a picnic or go bushwalking. Plus as mentioned there is increased heavy vehicle traffic due to the Cotter Dam extensions going on (not due to be finished until mid Dec 2011). Going the other way down the 3 Sisters toward Uriarra Crossing and out past the Homestead you get a lot of 4WDs and utes with trailbikes in the back heading off to the Brindabellas for some bush action.

You get a lot of tourists too going out to Tidbinbilla to the nature reserve or tracking station or just generally going for a drive in the 'country'. You also get a few tourist types heading out to Corin Forrest/Dam. You also seem to get a lot of motorcyclists that like to ride at high speed out there.

Out past Tharwa you have a few people going to Honeysuckle Creek and a few people heading out to Adaminaby but generally not as much traffic in my experience.

Is Uriarra Crossing still open with all this rain we've been having? I heard Cotter Bridge was closed - it might be quieter at the moment to ride around there? Too wet for me at the moment to be out on the bike.

[HAKS]

With the amount of water going over Cotter Dam at the moment I wouldn't be going anywhere near Uriarra crossing without my swimmers

[Zac150]

With the amount of water going over Cotter Dam at the moment I wouldn't be going anywhere near Uriarra crossing without my swimmers

And Life Jacket